Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-10-10
j. j. ASToR BUYS coTTENET.
Tho Place Which Cyrus w. Field
Fixed Up for His Daughter.

Tho Place which Cyrus w. Field
Fixed Up for His Daughter.
From Yonkers to Tarrytown the left bank OF
The Hudson 10 an almost uninterrupted line OF
country estates Of wealthy New Workers, says
The Sun. The interruptions consist almost
entirely In the business centers Of little com
nunities like IrviDgton. This line OF summer
residences is at its greatest as measured by
wealth, at Q point about twenty-four miles
aorth of the city. Just there Mr.. John Jacob
Aston has lately bought a ready made villa,
With forty three acres Of ground attached, ami
paid. therefor $3.50, 900 In cash. Not very
significant sum for one who keeps several mil
ions constantly available for the purchase OF
,ew property when occasion offers.
The event is more interesting as 1t indicates
something of the taste and motives OF the
greatest landlord In America. 1t is further |
Interesting because the seller of the property |
was Mr.. Cyrus W. Field. The lstter's recent !
endorsements have nothing to do with this
transaction. Mr.. Field originally bought the
property for the use Of his daughter, Mrs |
Lindley, and he says in explanation OF the |
transfer that she did not care to occupy the
premises, and that he had no other use for
them. Certainly he has enough land lett In
The vicinity to it out with summer residences
. family much larger than his own, throwing
In even q good many distant relatives. Be-
tween Irvlngton and Dobbs ferry, fashiona-
BILE center few miles to the south, Mr.. Field
owns upward Of nine hundred acres, all ada
cent to the Hudson, and much OF 1t improved
de had an acute attack Of anglomania one
day-a trouble that 10 chronic with
him In Q mild form-and named bis
Hudson river lands "Ardsley Park"
Mr.. Astor has taken small section
Of Ardsley. Nobody but Mr.. Field. how
ever, speaks Of the place by Its British appella-
ton. The portion secured BY MIR. Astor Is
known 70 the people OF Irvington as the Cot
tenet place, from the name OF the hrst owner
Who improved the grounds 1t lies about
mile and half south Of the Irvington postof-
fee, and IL reached. like other similar estates,
BY 4 shady, graveled road leading from the
| magnificent highway that runs parallel to the
Hudsou about a half mile from its banks.
| Not far to the north is the comfortable, old
| fashioned looking villa Of the Harpers; at the
| south Ia the Wiley estate, and at the east and
north the Alexander Hamilton property.
entrance by the highway, occupied BY the
| superintendent OF the estate, whatever his
| title may be among anglomaniscs. The grass
about the doorway looks unkempt, weeds
| mingle with the few flower bushes, and q lazy
| dog snoozing In . patch OF sunlight Is the only
Align of life. The driveway leading toward the
Hudson begins In fairly good condition at the
| highway A double-row Of trees lines each
side, so that the shade is dense. 1t Is apparent
that the original intention was to have the
space between the rows of trees on either side
improved and used for footpaths, but the Inn.
proyement, II ever made, has been obliterated
| by successive seasons OF neglect The
spaces are overgrown with rank grass and
weeds, pine cones lie In disorderly abundance
everywhere, and broken twigs add to the con-
fusion. Still the visitor would receive no
very unfavorable impression Of the property
from these features. They might be charged
simply to the caprice Of the owner, who had
changed his plans But decidedly bad I'm
preston is inevitable after going few rod:
along the driveway 1t becomes evident that
no pains have been taken to renew the gravel
or to repair the effects Of ranstorm. One can
not help wondering how 1t should happen that
I'm q community OF exceedingly wealthy men
one Of the most prominent should not Keep
the approach to his house 10 the neat, apple
pie order that always distinguishes the rich
mans road.
From the veranda Q spacious hall extends
nearly through the main house. Opening
from it at the west, or left, Is q large recep-
tion-room divided In the middle by wide fold
ing doors. The diningroom and library are
on the same floor at the east and north re-
spectively Of the hall All the rooms In the
house are light aud cheerful The windows
are nearly all large and well placed
1t 10 evident that Mr.. Astor, as Q Den OF
delicate taste in architectural aud Landscape
matters, will have to expend q small fortune
in improving the estate be has acquired for
his use. Simplicity, however, is one Of his
strong characteristics, and he will doubtless
be content with the Cottenet house as 1t stands
| in all its rectangular uginess But he will
have to repair the drive and beautify the
| grounds II be wants his property to be men,
toned in the same breath with that Of his
great rival In accumuations, Jay Gould,
whose house and adjacent park are incompar-
ably superior to anything In the same line on
the left bank Of the Hudson.
Francis Cottenet was q Frenchman who
came to America and made q fine business OF
importing silks from bis native country.
When be had made Q fortune he bought the
land that bears his name, and proceeded to
have summer house erected on 1t. Haver-
straw, with its brickyards, was In sight across
| the broad Tsppan Zee, or 1t would have been
had not the trees obscured the view, but Cot
tenet looked askance at It. Haverstraw bricks
were good enough for ordinary New Workers,
but not for Mr.. Cottenet. He looked no furth
er in America, but sent to France for q ship
load or so of Cayenne stone. This material,
It Is said, grows harder with continued expos
| ure to the weather. The color Is yellowish
| white. Some of he stones looked SCARED, a
II the weather had begun to eat them before
they settled down into the hard condition.
There is a small veranda at the southern en-
trance From It one gets fair view OF the
Hudson, but there are still too many trees II
the way. From the house to the river Is I
steep descent, rough and uuteraced. Tht
tracks of the New York Central railroad ART
not visible nor are the trains that pass ever
few minutes, but the roar and racket are audi
bic to . degree that suggests reason whl